The cause of education in California owes much to the substantial aid extended by Mr. Garrison. When money was delayed at the proper source for the building of school-houses, and work had ceased, he advanced the required sums from his own resources. And his sympathies have always been with the poor and lowly. He established the first African school in San Francisco, holding at that early day that, as the negroes were eventually to become citizens, the proper way to prepare them for that condition was by education. Two great subjects, especially interesting to his eminently practical turn of mind, were never lost sight ofa steamship line to China and Australia, and the exploration of a route for the Pacific Railroad. Not long after assuming the duties of his office, he urged public action to these points, and he was repeatedly a member of committees appointed to report to public meetings on the subject of a railroad. His name heads the list of subscribers to this object. He was also the first cash subscriber in a large amount to build a telegraph line over the Sierras, to demonstrate the feasibility of an overland telegraph line between San Francisco and New York. There can scarcely be mentioned a charitable enterprise in those days to which Mr. Garrison was not a liberal contributor. It is typical of the man that, during the whole of his term as Mayor, he served the public gratuitouslyhaving at the close of that term drawn a check for the entire amount of his salary, which he divided equally between the Catholic and Protestant Orphan Asylums. The Ladies' Relief Society, the Mercantile Library Association, of which he was created a life member, and many churches, were the richer for his open-handed donations, while innumerable indigent applicants for a free passage in his steamers joyfully acknowledged his broadcast and never-failing benevolence. In the early years of the California fever, hundreds of destitute people, continually collecting at Panama, were gratuitously forwarded thence to San Francisco at a personal expense to him of many thousands of dollars. In September, 1853, Mr. Garrison headed a move ment in San Francisco of the former citizens of Louisiana, to take measures to relieve their fellow-citizens of New Orleans who were suffering from the dreadful ravages of yellow fever, which in that year exceeded in virulence any thing then known. During the month of August, there had been 5,229 deaths. The appeal was eloquent and forcible. Mr. Garrison contributed lavishly to this charity; and the Germans, who held a special meeting to adopt measures for the relief of their fellowcountrymen who were being decimated by the destroyer, passed a vote of thanks to Mr. Garrison for his friendly offer to remit all the funds free of charge to New Orleans. An instance, out of many of a similar kind, may be selected as exhibiting Mr. Garrison's peculiarly decisive manner of dealing with circumstances. During his term. as Mayor, a noted speculator and his gang, in April, 1854, commenced driving a line of piles, by night, across the dock from the end of Long wharf, to that of Clay street wharf, thereby obstructing navigation, injuring the harbor. and jeopardizing the city's title to property of immense value. Shortly after midnight, Mr. Garrison, having been informed of the facts, repaired to the spot, and the exciting scene that ensued is still fresh in the memory of those who witnessed it. He found the police force overawed by the defiant bearing of the parties. The Marshal refused to obey the Mayor's orders to arrest the rioters, ostensibly on the ground that the authority was insufficient. Upon this, Mr. Garrison, acting with his customary resolution, took the affair into his own hands, met the desperadoes with their own weapons, regardless of threats, and, it is sufficient to say, he summarily terminated the lawless proceedings, amid the cheers of the great crowd who had collected upon the wharves awaiting the event. The example was highly beneficial as a precedent for subsequent occasions of a like nature. In July following, a similar scene occurred on Montgomery street, where an attempt was made to fence off Merchant street. The Marshal having again refused to obey the Mayor's orders to arrest the parties, Mr. Garrison assumed the Dersonal responsibility, had the obstruction instantly torn down, and on the following day, impeached the Marshal, who was soon after removed from office by unaminous vote of the Common Council. In the year 1859, Mr. Garrison returned to the Atlantic States, and settled in New York city. There he became at once known as a bold and successful financier—– a man of vigorous grasp and comprehensive views-the weight of his character and business sagacity being felt in the heaviest transactions of the times. He is to-day one of the leading steamship proprietors in the United States, being the principal owner in many ocean steamers. Now, when our national commerce is languishing under discouragements which few capitalists are willing to encounter, Mr. Garrison continues to maintain the only United States steamship company with which the Government has a mail contract carrying the American flag on the Atlantic ocean-the important line between New York and Brazil. During the late war, he came promptly with all his remarkable energies to the support of the Government, and with his steamships rendered eminent services to the cause of the Union. It was at this trying epoch that his sterling patriotism was particularly displayed. When the cause looked the most gloomy, and capital began to hesitate, he fitted out, mainly by his own exertions, Butler's Ship-Island expedition, and became personally responsible in England for the principal part of its armament. This was formally acknowledged by Mr. Lincoln, Secretary Seward, Mr. Sumner, and other prominent members of Congress. After an absence from California of about ten years, the Commodore, who, in times past, had taken so conspicuous a part in ocean steam navigation, especially between San Francisco and New York, and on the Pacific coast, was among the earliest to make the railroad trip across the continent. His visit to the metropolis of the Pacific was not merely to seek pleasure and recreation, but also to build substantial improvements upon his real estate, principally in the vicinity of the city front. Some of the most valuable structures in that part of San Francisco have been erected by him, and a considerable portion of his immense fortune, amounting to sev eral millions of dollars, is invested in the scene of his former business transactions. The Commodore, on his arrival in San Francisco, was met on all sides by the congratulations of his many friends on his evident good health, and kind wishes for its long continuance followed him on his return to New York. Just one week prior to his departure from San Francisco, he received the following invitation, which, it will be seen, was signed by the leading professional and business men of the city: SAN FRANCISCO, August 10th, 1869. Hon. C. K. Garrison-Dear Sir: In token of the very great regard we entertain for you, both on account of your public services and private benefices to the citizens of San Francsico, we, your old friends and associates, beg to ask your acceptance of a farewell dinner, to be given at the Maison Doree, on Monday evening, August 16th, at seven o'clock. A. J. Bowie, M. D., D. O. Mills, E. V. Joice, F. J. Weeks, Gen. E. D. Keyes, Charles E. McLane, H. P. Wakelee. This invitation was accepted, and the banquet was served with the most sumptuous and elegant appointments. Hon. Ogden Hoffman, United States District Judge; His Excellency Governor Haight, and Hon. Frank McCoppin, Mayor of the city, were present as invited guests. Dr. A. J. Bowie presided, and made the following address: Gentlemen: This banquet to-night, to the Hon. C. K. Garrison, was prompted by a desire on the part of Mr. Garrison's friends to convey to him, first, their full recognition of the great services he had rendered to this community, in behalf of immigration to our city and State; but more especially because of his personal endearment to the early surviving settlers and residents of the city of San Francisco. We can scarcely hope, however much we may desire it, that Mr. Garrison will again venture to encounter the toil of another visit to our city, which we know he loves so well, and to whose development and growth he has contributed so largely; and therefore, at one and the same moment, we proclaim our pleasure at receiving him and our regret at parting, by bidding him at this banquet, all hail and farewell! To which Mr. Garrison replied as follows: Gentlemen: I am filled with the greatest and truest emotion at this most unexpected and flattering entertainment on the part of my old friends. If I had required any incentive beyond what had been supplied by my past relations with California, this spectacle of so much worth and intelligence would urge me still further in hope and effort to develop the interests of this mighty country. Gentlemen, my heart is too full of gratitude for this splendid ovation to permit me to do aught else but beg you will accept the poverty of my language to express my full feelings of gratitude. Messrs. Judge Delos Lake, Judge Lyons, Gen. E. D. Keyes, W. C. Ralston, Charles E. McLane, Hall McAllister, Joseph P. Hoge, J. G. Eastland, and others, followed in remarks pertinent to the occasion, and were happy in allusions to reminiscences in connection with the past efforts of their guest toward the development of Cali fornia. Mr. Garrison's distinguished success in commercial affairs is due, not more to his unconquerable energy, than to an unbending integrity manifested in all the relations of life. His word is proverbially as good as his bond. Conservative and tolerant in his intercourse with men, his friendships have always been warm and intimate, and are life-long. An especially prepossessing address and good conversational powers, added to great firmness and force of character, have generally enabled him to influence others and impress them with the soundness of his views. Left early in life to provide for himself, he has been emphatically the architect of his own fortunes. In looking back upon his business career, he enjoys the well-carned consciousness of having contributed largely to the material prosperity of the country, while hundreds unremembered by him still cherish the memory of his charitable deeds and whole-souled generosity. |